Cat or mouse?
by LegacyHeartaches
Summary: Bakery owner Jan-di has a run in with leading detective Gu Jun-pyo. Clashing at first the two are forced to work together when a rising serial killer takes a special interest in Jan-di.
1. Possibly a prologue?

Guys I am back. Took a few days to recover from all of the traveling and jet-lag but I think I'll be 100% here soon. On my trip I discovered webtoons. It's now my favorite thing, I planned on starting this story earlier but I have been soooooo busy relaxing a bit and reading webtoons (completely guilty there) I haven't had the time or energy to even think about starting this story. I know what I want to happen, but I haven't determined if I want the ending to be a happy one, or a sad one. I think I'll decide as I get closer to that time. Until then I hope you all enjoy reading along as this story unfolds.

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"I can't believe I'll probably die like this.' Jan-di grumbled quietly to herself as she wiggled about trying to free her hands from their bindings. Her wrists were rubbed raw, fresh blood coating the coarse rope she struggled against in an attempt to break free. If I can only get one hand, that's all I need- She thought sticking her tongue out to the left side of her mouth as if such a gesture would help. With a loud grunt she hung her head, exhausted from another failed attempt to escape. The warm air draped around her sweating form like a curtain shielding her from the light. There was moisture in the musky air, so much that it dampened the dirt ground she sat on. Her cell was dark, and the cold stone that made up the wall she leaned against soothed the throbbing on her aching muscles.

As she sat there, defeated her mind wandered to the outside world. She wondered if the world was still spinning on, time passing by carelessly without her. Time, how much time had passed she questioned. It felt like days, but there was nothing to back up her assumption. She had woken up in this dungeon of a place by herself, tied up like some animal that had been hunted for sport- and the man. The one responsible for dragging her here, he had no visited her as of yet. She knew it was dangerous, toying with fire. The game she so willingly placed herself in the middle of. It was like a stand off between a cat and a mouse and she was the bait. Had he possibly forgotten her? Or had Gu Jun-pyo captured him? She wished for an answer.

Pulled from her thoughts from the sound of shuffling outside the barred door Jan-di used what strength she had left to lift her head, her eyes searching for anything in the darkness. "I see you've exhausted yourself," Came a familiar hiss from behind the hinges. Squinting at the sudden light that flooded the room as the metal door creaked open Jan-di snarled viciously as the man walked in, grabbed her by her arm and lifted her up. Her joints creaked and whined in protest like the floor boards of a very old house from the swift motion as he jerked her along. She summed all her energy to struggle against his hold on her but she continued to fail as her feet drug across the floor behind her. Rapidly blinking Jan-di began to take in her new surroundings.

She was placed sitting upright on a wooden bar stool. Four big and extremely bright studio lights were set up around her, causing spots to form in her vision as she tried to worm herself away from the heat they gave off. Her bangs were not completely dampened against her forehead from her sweat. Squinting she tried to take in her surroundings but couldn't see anything beyond the brightness of the lights. "Welcome dear Geum Jan-di, to my show." Came the sultry voice again his form appearing before her like a shadow. He wore the same blank whiter mask as before, it only covered half his face, making it impossible to determine his actual identity. "Tonight, you're my guest star. If you play along I'll reward you later." He gushed grabbing her face in his palm to force her to look up at him, her lips pursed in what can only be defined as the ultimate fish pout as she muttered an incoherent response.

Grabbing the video camera that sat on the floor beside her he tapped her lips with his glove clad index finger before gagging her with a piece of cloth and stepping back to get a full view of her. "And we're live in, 3, 2, 1." He whispered counting down with his other hand.

"Good evening detective. I have a special viewing for you tonight." Jan-di watched with horror filled eyes and the man pointed the camera towards her. She desperately tried to yell but her cries came out muffled through the cloth. "I'm quite surprised honestly." He mused "You worked so hard to keep her well protected. I never expected her to fall into my lap like she did." He boasted circling her with the camera like a predator stalking its prey.

"It was unsatisfying and well, boring really. I think to spice things up we should do a little exchange since you're the one I really want." Shaking her head Jan-di once again tried to yell through her gag desperate to advise Jun-pyo to do anything but play into his demands. "Oh my, it appears that your little doll wants to say something to you. Let's see what she has to say." He snickered moving to remove the cloth from her mouth. "Jun-pyo! Don't listen to him; he's not going to trade me!" She screamed squirming in her seat. The man chuckled at her warning, the camera shaking in his hand as he shook with laughter. "I'm serious, don't listen to him." Closing her eyes and taking a moment to breathe Jan-di willed her heartbeat to slow down, its drum overpowering the sound of her own voice. She needed to be sure that Jun-pyo could hear her.

"Just do what you do best, don't fall for his trap, and trust me, please. I'll be fine." She begged determined to convince Jun-pyo of her words. Looking directly into the camera she gave what little of a smile she could and hoped that she was convincing enough. God only knows what she looks like. Dirty, covered in blood and bruises her clothes torn and ragged. Just the sight of her has to be gut wrenching to gaze upon. She needed him to know that her fighting spirit remained strong, that she was confident in herself as much as she was with him. "I can hear rushing water, I think he's keeping me somewhere along the rive-"

Desperate to cut her off the man struck her face with his hand causing her to fall off the stool she was seated on. With a heavy thud Jan-di crashed onto the hard ground, blood pooling from her mouth, the taste of iron overwhelming her palette. Coughing a couple times she slowly rolled over onto her back, wincing as she did so. She could feel more blood soaking the collar of her shirt as her hair stuck to her neck. This definitely made her goal much more difficult. If she looked bad before she could hardly imagine how she appeared at the moment. His shadow loomed over her that stupid camera hanging above her face as the man laughed once again his words encouraging Jun-pyo to trade places with her. Haunting him with far fetched tales of how he's going to punish her for that little stunt.

Trembling from his words Jan-di hissed as she struggled to lift her upper body off the ground so she could sit up. Even with all her efforts the fact was that she was stiff and in pain, her muscles refused to comply with her requests to move even the slightest bit. Looking around she tried to see if there were any other tells of her location. The man was still rambling on about the exchange. She had to act fast and efficiently of she was going to get through to Jun-pyo and possibly get out of this mess. Her pounding head was making it hard to focus; annoyed with herself she looked back up at her captor, the camera once again dangled above her form. If he was just a little bit closer she thought. "Hey, I don't know why you're still going on with that stupid suggestion." She spat, drops of blood spraying her face as she spoke. "I already told him not to do it," like a cat chasing a laser the man stepped towards her.

Using everything left in her Jan-di shot her legs up the moment he was in range. Smiling triumphantly she watched as the camera flew rough the air and landed some feet away from them with a clatter. "Whatever he does, don't give into him!" she hollered boldly hoping Jun-pyo could hear her if the camera was even still streaming. Before she could wipe her success in her abductors face a sharp pain shot through her head, accompanied by the cracking sound of thunder. Her world went blank.

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Well what did you think? I normally don't ask that as well… I don't know. I just don't.

I hope you all enjoyed this little sneak peak into the main plot of this story and that you tag long for everything that is going to happen in building up to this point, and after.

Till next time, I promise then I'll start from the beginning.


	2. Rude girl

"Gu Jun-pyo- Sir, I'm so glad you're still here!" With an exasperated sigh Jun-pyo turned in mid step to face his colleague. Brows furrowed together he looked over the fellow who scurried towards him, folders clenched to his chest and glasses resting on the tip of his long pointy nose. The kid looked like he was fresh in from the academy and definitely not recruited for the purpose of field work, he looked like a techie. Even the word mouse came to mind when taking in the boy's small structured frame and toothpick limbs as he waved about in attempt to gain Jun-pyo's attention. "What is it? I'm supposed to be off, I was just walking out." Jun-pyo snapped flicking his wrist to check the time on his watch impatiently. "Yes- um, Sir, I'm sorry Sir I mean- I- I nee-" Rolling his eyes as the kid fumbled with his words Jun-pyo groaned internally. "You see Sir, I need your assistance. I have an assault complaint regarding a man and young girl but they're not cooperating and So Yi-jung h-he u-uh he left me to deal with it alone, Sir."

Cursing Yi-jung to hell Jun-pyo ran a hand through his unruly curls. Of Course he would be stopped from leaving because of that inconsiderate prick. Glancing at the kid who stood before him shaking in his own skin flashing him with his pleading eyes Jun-pyo groaned again, this time audibly. Muttering incoherent curses under his breath he nodded his head and trailed behind as they ventured back into the main office. Upon entering the office Jun-pyo noticed a young girl sitting at a desk in the far corner. She was sliding an empty paper cup between her hands as a form of amusement. She didn't appear to be battered or even upset, if anything she seemed rather annoyed. Not the kind of sight you see a woman in whose just been assaulted. "What's the issue?" Jun-pyo asked quietly motioning towards the woman. The kid glanced over as her briefly before turning to Jun-pyo and motioning for him to lean in closer.

"She claims she was being mugged on the street when walking to work and had to defend herself. Her pronounced mugger is in the office over there. He claims that she attacked him without reason and wants to press charges." Nodding in understanding Jun-pyo stole another glance at the girl. She was young, probably a couple years younger than him even. Her short black hair bobbed above her shoulders and she leaned her elbows on the desk and rested her chin in her palms, looking entirely bored out of her mind. She even went so far as to blow her bangs out of her eyes dejectedly. "Okay so their stories don't match. What's the actual issue?"

"Well, the problem is that the guy has several injuries correlating to the only common information I've gotten from the two. She did inflict his injuries, but I honestly believe that this girl was being mugged. I don't want to have to press charges against her but so far things are leaning more in the muggers favor due to their statements. I was hoping you could talk with him and clear things up so she can go. She's very concerned about her bakery." Nodding in understanding Jun-pyo stepped over to the office door that led to the area the man was waiting in. Peering through the window in the door Jun-pyo looked over the suspect. He was indeed beat up, pretty good too and the woman didn't appear to have a scratch on her. "Why aren't you going in?" With a grunt he responded "I'm trying to get a read on the guy. You want him to admit he was trying to mug her so I can't just go in there an rain hell fire down on him. I gotta observe, appeal to his nature."

Nodding in understanding the techie fell silent as Jun-pyo stood there quietly for a few more minutes, deciding he's seen enough he grabbed a notebook and pen off a nearby desk and entered the room. "It's about time, how long are you guys going to make me wait in here!" The man yelled throwing his formerly crossed arms in the air to exaggerate his current frustration. Show time, Jun-pyo thought as he swiftly closed the door behind him. "I'm very sorry for the wait sir. I just need you to write everything down and then you can leave."

"What do you mean write everything down? Why should I have to write things down, I told the other guy everything. Where is he?"

"I understand your confusion. We need you to write a formal statement to submit your charges against this lady. Also, it will probably be a couple years before your case is presented due to the other case against her. Writing a statement ensures that all of the details are documented and nothing is forgotten or overlooked in court" Jun-pyo could practically see gears in the mans mind turning as he mulled over this information. "What do you mean a couple years, what other case?" Fighting off the twitch of a smirk that was threatening to break free in Jun-pyo's expression he walked around the table sliding the notebook and pen towards the guy.

"There's another case against her, it has priority over your complaint. But you don't need to worry yourself over the matter. Given your statement your case is a bit different." Lying was easy for Jun-pyo in these moments. He watched the man lean back in his chair, rubbing his bruised jaw line as he thought things over.

"Different how, I wanna know about these other charges."

Hook, line, sinker.

"It's kind of a vigilante case. She has a habit of wandering around in the early hours of the morning to pose herself as an easy target so that criminals will try to attack her. When they do, she uses excessive force to deal with them which she claims is self defense. Since you were outright attacked and did not provoke her in any way, your case is a bit different." The reaction was instant, Jun-pyo sat quietly as the man frivolously scribbled his statement down on the paper, when he was done he pushed the notebook across the table and leaned back in his chair once again.

Looking his statement over Jun-pyo asked him a few more questions about it to verify its authenticity before politely excusing himself to get some things for the man to sign before he left. The techi about jumped him when he stepped out of the office, door closed behind him. Evading the rookies eager advance Jun-pyo made a B line for the woman who was still slumped over at the same desk, spinning the paper cup around in her finger. "Ma'am he's confessed to mugging you, if you'd like you can press charges. Otherwise we'll send him to the medical examiner and he'll be released upon having his injuries examined. Either way you can go, we have your statement written down."

Golden eyes peered back at him and he felt a chill crawl up his spine as he stood there under her piercing gaze. "You can do whatever you see fit with him, I just really need to get to my shop." She muttered before looking back down at the cup. Taking a deep breath to calm himself Jun-pyo nodded and offered to escort the lady out, which she refused curtly, one hand up as if to stop him from speaking any further. "Thank you for your work on this. All my information is here in case anything else comes up." and just like that she was gone. "Jun-pyo, you're still here??" So Yi-jung yelled entering the office.

With fire in his eyes Jun-pyo turned to his friend and threw the statement he had gotten at him. "Book the guy in that office for me, now!" he barked watching as Yi-jung nodded furiously and briskly strode across the room. Looking down at the information the girl left in her statement he frowned as he read over her statement, "Geum Jan-di huh?" he whispered to himself for than anything, "So much for gratitude these days. Rude girl." Jun-pyo muttered tossing the papers at the techie before taking his leave. As he walked out he could hear the screams of the man Yi-jung was probably struggling to detain but he didn't care. His shift was over.

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Well how's that for a greeting??? Let me know what you think! Till next time.


	3. The first

"Over here Sir." Ducking under the yellow tape Jun-pyo followed the first responder towards the alley way cursing under his breath the whole time, it was about four in the morning and he was grumpy. This was a fairly quiet neighborhood; problems such as these were not common in this area. "How long has she been here?" he asked as they walked down the narrow path towards some piled up cardboard and a dumpster. The flashing lights from their vehicles illuminated the brick walls that they were crammed between. "The medical examiner hasn't arrived yet so I have no clue honestly, we only have the lady who called it in. She's been here for about an hour so I know it's been longer than that.' Nodding in understanding Jun-pyo crouched down as he examined the scene.

The girl was young, probably mid twenties, raven black hair, dressed up a bit but definitely not a prostitute. Her face and chest were covered in various forms of cuts and bruises, due to the condition of her hands it appeared that she fought back as much as she could before she died. "He definitely didn't mind making a mess" Jun-pyo commented as he pointed to the trails of blood splatter coloring the brick wall, cardboard, dumpster, scattered items of trash and concrete. It looked like a scene from a horror film, lucky for them this part of the alley way was covered by a canopy or the rain would have washed most of this away. Standing from his crouching position Jun-pyo looked around; this alley way went through connecting two main streets. It's possible that it's commonly used as a short cut and it provides good cover.

"The lady who called it in, where is she I would like to speak with her?" The officer pointed towards the opposite entrance. Mumbling a quiet thanks Jun-pyo stalked down the path to find So Yi-jung with the rude girl from the assault case he had to deal with last week. She looked as un-amused as ever standing out in the cold drenched from the earlier rainfall. Her black hair clung to the frame of her face and her jaw was clenched, the flashing lights from Yi-jung's cruiser danced like a fire in her golden eyes. As he approached the two from the alleys shadows he swore he noticed just the slightest shiver from the girl, but before he could observe anymore she turned to him, a flash of recognition in her eyes as she looked at him. "Yi-jung, please go back and wait for the medical examiner to arrive. I'll talk to her." With a pout and some grumbling Yi-jung casually trotted away disappearing into the shadows.

"You seem to be a magnet for trouble." Jun-pyo growled and he shed his coat and offered it to her. Maybe it was the lights or lack of with it being so dark out and still overcast but she seemed more attractive at first glance than she did back in the main office. She reached for his jacket with shaky hands and that's when Jun-pyo realized that she wasn't just shaking from the cold, she had stumbled upon that girl in the dark of the early morning, all by herself. Not everyone was as desensitized from a scene such as that. The poor girl was probably rattled to her core. Stepping towards her he moved to wrap his jacket around her small form, she wasn't going to be very good at answering questions shocked like this.

"You own a bakery, right?" he asked trying to redirect her focus so that she'd calm down some. Even as shook up as she was she held that same expression, as if she was thoroughly unimpressed with the world itself. That must just be her default expression because her trembling hands definitely gave her away. She nodded meekly questioning him with her eyes. "Why don't we get you to your bakery, I am sure that it's warmer and I can do my questioning there. You might feel more comfortable too." He almost chuckled at the small squeak of compliance she muttered in response. She may hold the same expression, but she was not the same woman that he encountered last week. That woman was sharp and determined where now she was timid and quiet. Last week she had been a predator brawling with another predator, this week she's seen first hand what it means to be preyed upon. It was quite unnerving.

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"Would you like a cup of coffee?" Jan-di asked softly as she urged Jun-pyo to sit on a stool at the counter. "Please, black." Was his short reply and she quickly moved to prepare his drink. Ga-eul had already arrived and prepped all of the breads they were just waiting on them to finish baking and hopefully she'd be done with all the questioning by then. The silence hung over them heavily and she wondered why the detective was suddenly so quiet. Jun-pyo took in the atmosphere of her bakery stunned into silence. It was warm and welcoming; not exactly what he pieced together its owner to be. He wondered how many sides of her he had failed to see from his original observation and the realization of how much he misjudged her was unsettling.

"Here's your coffee." She stated simply setting the plain white mug down in front of him. He thanked her and slid it towards him allowing the warmth to thaw his numb fingers. Geum Jan-di was still wrapped up in his jacket, not that he minded. It suited her surprisingly, despite the fact that it's way too big for her. She had to roll the sleeves up to her elbows and it hung down just below her knees. She looked like a small child. "Did you do all the decoration?" He asked, working his way into the difficult questions.

"No, my partner Chu Ga-eul is the one who deserves credit for that." Smiling at her Jun-pyo watched as she fidgeted with her own cup of coffee. Maybe he wasn't as off about her as he thought. "But, I know you're not here to question me about the décor." She teased a little, taking a sip from her mug. His intention was to dance around the topic instead of just diving in. He didn't want her to feel like she was being drilled, or interrogated. He just had some procedural questions to ask her. Clearing his throat he straightened himself up and reached for the notepad he kept inside his jacket, only he wasn't wearing his jacket. "Oh, I'm sorry here." She said as she began to shrug his jacket off, he held a hand up to stop her. Her clothes were soaked through and she had stood out in the cold for an hour; his jacket was probably the warmest thing she had on at the moment.

"Please, if you could just grab my notebook and pen from the inner pocket." She complied with his request emptying out all the contents of his pockets onto the countertop. Grabbing his notepad and pen Jun-pyo flipped it open to a blank page and began his questioning.

"Can you go over the events of this morning for me please," he asked politely.

"I woke up at about two this morning, got ready and left about two thirty. I walk each morning so I didn't come across the alley until just after three. As soon as I sa- as I realized, I mean." She paused for a moment, flustered. Jun-pyo motioned for her to continue as he jotted down her statement. "Once I found her I called it in, the first officer arrived within minutes. He pushed me back to the sidewalk so he could secure the area. Some time after your friend showed up. He asked me some basic questions but I was still in a state of shock, so we didn't get far in the questioning. Then you showed up." Nodding Jun-pyo scribbled it all down, resting for a moment he tapped the end of his pen against the counter top, thinking.

"Do you always go to work so early?"

"Not normally no it's just been this week. Being held up at the department the other day put me behind. I've been going in early to make up for it."

"What time do you normally commute?"

"Generally I don't leave my house until four in the morning. I live off Oakland and I liked to try and get the breads started by five if I can."

Oakland, Oakland, that street name stuck out in his mind. "Oakland? That's a fair distance away; do you walk to and from work every day?"

"I do in the mornings, I don't have a car and public transport isn't running before I go to work." Well that made plenty of sense, also explains why she was in the alley. It is a shortcut to the main street her bakery is off of, he thought as he continued to write out his notes. "Do you always walk the same way and, why didn't you have an umbrella with you. Surely you knew it was going to rain this morning?"

"I do always walk that way and I didn't grab an umbrella because it wasn't raining when I left. I didn't even think to check the forecast." He nodded in response.

"When you discovered the victim did you touch the body, or anything in the alley?" Her face scrunched like she was eating something sour and he had to restrain himself from laughing at her. The situation wasn't humorous at all but her expression was absolutely hilarious right then. "The closest I got to her was the dumpster which I leaned on for a moment when I called it in. After that I was on the sidewalk the rest of the time."

Grateful that she didn't mess with the scene at all Jun-pyo looked up from his notepad, she was shaking again. Without thinking he reached out and grabbed her hand giving it a gentle reassuring squeeze. "If you need we can talk about something else for a moment," she looked at him contemplating his offer. Biting her lower lip she looked up at the clock, she needed to get this done and over with as soon as possible."

"Its fine, I can't imagine there's too much more that I can help with anyways."

"Alright, did you notice anyone when you were walking to work this morning specifically in or around the alley?"

"I didn't see anything I was just trying to get to work and out of the rain."

"Well, I think that should cover most of it. If anything comes up I'll be in touch. Also, if you think of anything please call the office and let me know." Grabbing hold of the white mug his forgotten coffee was in he took a small sip as he gathered all the items that she dumped onto the table.

"That's got to be the best cup of coffee I've had." He mumbled completely at a loss for words. "Would you like a hot cup to go?" Jan-di asked with a triumphant smirk. Her baked goods were a hit but nothing brought the customers in like her coffee. Chu Ga-eul praised her for her genius when it came to the caffeinated beverage and it's become a guilty pleasure to hear people compliment her work. Nodding eagerly Jun-pyo downed the rest of his cup. It was going to be a long day for him, and he needed all the energy he could get.

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A little more interaction in this chapter, I'm trying to decide how quickly I want the two to progress as they continue to run into each other.

It might a bit before I update again, it's a holiday weekend and I have lots going on the next couple weeks. Till next time!


	4. Questions

"Jan-di, you need to be more careful if you're going to continue walking to work so early." Ga-eul scolded in a motherly fashion waving her index finger around and all. Jan-di shuffled her feet a bit looking anywhere but at her flustered friend who has taken it upon herself to lecture her for the past few hours. It was true that the last week or so has been eventful. First almost getting mugged and now an obvious homicide just blocks away from their precious bakery. The world was surely changing and not for the better. "I know. I'll be careful I promise." Jan-di huffed as she reassured her friend for what felt like the millionth time that morning that she would take more caution when walking to work. "I'm serious; don't blow this off like you normally do. I don't want to get a phone call one morning saying that you're lying in an alley dead."

Rolling her eyes Jan-di blew her bangs out of her face as she continued frosting the cake she had been working on. Their morning has been oddly quiet and Jan-di assumed that it was due to the murder. People were either too busy being nosy or spooked by the news enough to steer clear of that area altogether. The lack of foot traffic just meant that Ga-eul had more time to address her on her oblivious behavior. As Ga-eul puts it, she has no sense of danger which has caused her to end up in some pretty reckless situations over the years. She just never felt like being a victim was much her style, and though she's often praised for her independence Ga-eul does not see it as a quality to admire. "Though, I want to praise you on a job well done."

Looking up from her cake Jan-di raised an eye brow in question to what Ga-eul was talking about. _Job well done with what_ she wondered as she caught her friend in a dreamy state looking off into the distance. Clearing her throat Jan-di motioned for her to explain herself. "Oh, really Geum Jan-Di I cannot believe you sometimes. That detective was hot, I was overheating just from watching the two of you." Okay, now she's being ridiculous. Shaking her head in disbelief Jan-di snorted softly trying to figure out where Ga-eul gets her imagination from. Sure he was okay looking, and polite but that's not enough to have her daydreaming over some guy. "You're utterly ridiculous" Ga-eul whined as she grabbed a tray of muffins out of the oven.

"It's not like I'm going to see him again" Jan-di muttered quietly to herself more than anything but Ga-eul heard her and smirked as she popped another tray of muffins into the oven.

"Do you intend to keep his jacket then?" groaning loudly from her question Jan-di rested her head in her palms. She had completely forgotten about his jacket since she took it off to put her apron on. He would probably be back for it, or was she supposed to return it to him? Did she have to do it in person, or could she have it delivered? Just thinking about it was starting to give her a headache and she desperately wanted her head to stop throbbing. "Come on, don't seem so gloomy. Maybe next time you'll get his number!" Groaning again Jan-di took her gloves off and set the cake up in their display case. "I'm not getting anyone's number, and no one's giving me their number."

"I don't know, you two were smitten in here earlier. As unfortunate as the circumstance is, he seemed pretty comfortable when he grabbed her hand earlier." Blushing as red as a tomato Jan-di scowled at her friend. "That just means he's probably a player. Either way I don't have time for such things." She said briskly with the wave of her hand as she walked towards the back room. She felt like she was burning up and wanted to check her temperature. "It's all about priorities!" Ga-eul hollered through the shop after her, though her argument wasn't appealing enough to change Jan-di's mind she did have to agree that a relationship was the last thing on her list of priorities.

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"And prince charming returns. How did it go?" Yi-jung asked wiggling his eyebrows as Jun-pyo stalked through the office, nose deep in a file he picked up on his way back to his desk. "How did what go?" Jun-pyo asked nonchalantly as he set his to go cup down so he could flip through some pages in the file he was reading over. "Questioning that girl from this morning, she's fine if I do say so myself." Rolling his eyes at his immature partner Jun-pyo sipped on his coffee, savoring every drop. This coffee really was something else. He can't imagine a time he's actually enjoyed a cup of coffee like this. "I didn't notice" was his bleak reply which about sent Yi-jung hurdling out of his chair onto the floor. "You're really not a man, are you?"

"Oh come on Yi-jung, we don't have time for this," Jun-pyo snipped slamming the folder down on his desk. He wasn't in the mood to be interrogated over some girl when they had a case to be working on. "Not my fault you can't appreciate the good things in life." Yi-jung grumbled irritably as he watched Jun-pyo scan over the papers from the file. "I appreciate plenty. Especially my job, maybe if you did too you would have gotten her statement." With a shrug Yi-jung wheeled his chair over to Jun-pyo's desk. Jun-pyo could feel his blood pressure rising. "What did you talk to her about exactly? She said you guys didn't get very far in your questioning." Jun-pyo asked curiously as he sneaked a quick glance up at his childhood friend.

"I mean I asked her for her number," Yi-jung said kicking his feet up and leaning back in his chair.

"I don't even know why I asked" Jun-pyo muttered while he analyzed the blood panel from the medical examiners office.

"You definitely got farther than I did, I should have taken the gentlemanly approach."

Snorting Jun-pyo stood, shuffling all the papers on his desk back into the folder. "I didn't get anywhere, now come on." Scrambling out of his chair Yi-jung chased after his friend smiling like he was just crowned king. Something was going on between those two, and as the dedicated detective he was, Yi-Jung was going to thoroughly investigate the issue until the truth is revealed. Jun-pyo was up to something even if he couldn't admit it, and maybe it was unintentional. Either way It was time to be more than just a partner to Jun-pyo, it was time to be the ultimate wingman.

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"Victim is Kim Ae-young, 160 centimeters and weighs 49 kilograms. She passed around midnight; this cut here went right into her right Carotid artery which is responsible for her death." Jun-pyo leaned over the table to get a better look at the wound doctor Yoon was pointing out. "Based on the depth of the various stab wounds I'd say you're looking for a five inch blade, it has a jagged edge on it as well. Could be used for hunting, or some kind of work knife." Taking note of this additional information Jun-pyo looked over at Yi-Jung who was currently spinning around in the doctors chair. Sighing heavily Jun-pyo shook his head and called Yi-Jung over to join them. "Anything else you can tell us right now?" Yi-Jung inquired as he approached the table acting as if he was listening intently the entire time. "Well… it appears that our killer either isn't very experienced or flew into a rage. You see these smaller cuts here and here, they're shallow and express a lack of confidence, but as they move up towards her neck and face the cuts suggest an aggressive change with the changes in depth and the angle. They either became more confident or angered."

Thanking the doctor for this information Jun-pyo bid him farewell and moved to follow Yi-Jung who had already slipped outside. "Oh, Gu Jun-pyo," doctor Yoon called out stopping him in his tracks. Turning to look back at the doctor Jun-pyo waited for him to continue. "If you hear from that grandson of mine, please let Ji-hoo know that he's overdue for a visit home." Waving his hand Jun-pyo mumbled some form of agreement to the docs request before chasing after Yi-Jung. It wasn't as if he and Ji-hoo spoke much these days. Things have been different since Jun-pyo disowned his family to do something more with his life than be a business man. Everything his parents expected of him, raised him up to be, he left it all behind. He walked right out onto the street with nothing, earning himself his first taste of freedom. He'd rather struggle and work hard than give up the ability to make decisions over his own life.

"What took you so long?" Yi-Jung asked as he waited, leaning up against the side of their car casually.

"Nothing, the doc just wanted me to pass a message on to Ji-hoo."

"Do you ever hear from him?" Shaking his head no Jun-pyo opened the car door, pausing for a moment he rested his arm against the hood. "Do you ever regret leaving?" Jun-pyo whispered hoarsely, the emotions from that day swelling inside his chest.

Yi-Jung thought for a moment, opening his own door, "not really. Sure the money was nice," he beamed laughing slightly. "But in all honesty, I'd rather spend a thousand nights in this shit car doing stakeouts with you than going back to that life. No one could name a price high enough for me to leave all this behind."

Worlds tangled in his throat Jun-pyo attempted to chuckle but even that came out more like a gasp for air.

"Besides," Yi-Jung continued, "you'd miss me if I wasn't here." Nodding Jun-pyo got in the car letting this information sink in. Perhaps he only got as far as he has because he had Yi-Jung at his side. He never thought he was particularly close with Yi-Jung before, if anything Woo-bin and Yi-Jung were one in the same and Jun-pyo secretly envied them. But when he needed someone Yi-jung stepped out without question before anyone else, losing everything he had in the process. "Yea, I would miss you." Jun-pyo mumbled just quiet enough that Yi-Jung couldn't hear him over the rattle of the engine as they headed back towards the office. He'd definitely miss him.

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"Mom, I'm telling you I don't have a boyfriend!" Jan-di yelled annoyed by her mothers continual pestering. She had her younger brother pick up the jacket on his way home from school so her parents could clean it before she returned it to the detective. Of course curious as to why she was sending a males jacket to be cleaned her mother decided to give her a call. She's been arguing with her mother about the topic since then, going on about twenty minutes now. Normally Jan-di was patient with her spastic mother but after Ga-euls constant badgering about safety and hinted teasing to the attention she received she wasn't in the mood. Her throbbing head and temperature didn't aid the situation either.

"I heard you sweetie but are you sure it's not more than that? I mean plenty of customers have left their jackets at your shop before and you've never sent them for cleaning." Her mother countered determined to get some additional information from her stingy daughter. Pinching the bridge of her nose Jan-di counted to ten silently trying to steady her rising temper. She was getting too worked up over this. "I'm positive that I don't have a boyfriend. Please have Kang-San return the jacket on his way to school tomorrow." Before her mother could respond Jan-di hung up her phone and tossed it across her bed.

Ignoring the buzzing that followed shortly after Jan-di took three deep calming breaths. She had been sleeping when her mother called. She was groggy and every muscle in her body was aching. She definitely was sick, Ga-eul even sent her home early which she was partially thankful for. Rolling out of bed Jan-di leisurely stumbled across her apartment until she collided with her fridge, throwing the door open she scanned its contents. With a defeated sigh she grabbed the carton of juice making a mental note to go grocery shopping when she was feeling better. She was down to about half a carton of apple juice and some condiments. Not even eggs, _has it really been that long_ she wondered scratching her head as she closed the door and tossed the cap to her juice carton on the counter. This was going to have to do for now.

Placing the carton under the faucet she turned the cold water on until it was heavy enough to fall from her weakened grip. It'd be watered down but it'd have to last her until her fever was gone. With shaky hands she took a sip grimacing as she swallowed. _Definitely a little more than watered down. _Rummaging through her cabinets Jan-di found some moldy bread and mentally laughed at the irony. For someone who spends their whole day baking she didn't keep much in her own house. Shuffling back to her bed she flopped down on the mattress her silenced phone forgotten. Her body cried for rest and she was more than willing to comply with its request.

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Another chapter up. I'll probably update again this weekend, maybe. Till next time!


	5. Coffee run

Tapping his pen against his desk impatiently Jun-pyo leaned back in his chair with a sigh. It's been three days and they haven't gotten much of anything on their case. Whoever this guy was he seemed to have manifested from thin air. They don't have him on any cameras walking to or from the alley, even if they did with it being so dark it'd be hard to identify someone off of that. But still, the lack of evidence is unsettling. Jun-pyo has even spent the past few nights staking the area out from midnight till six in the morning. He's watched the alley and surrounding area looking for anyone who might be out and about in the wee hours but there's been no one.

"Hey Jun-pyo, have you heard from that girl?" Looking over at Yi-jung who was currently sitting at his desk searching something online Jun-pyo twirled his pen between his fingers. He hadn't heard from her, in fact now that he thought about it he hadn't even seen her. "No, I haven't seen her walking to work either." He mumbled straightening himself in his chair. _She said she walked the same_ _way_ _every_ _morning_, _so_ _why_ _haven't_ _I seen_ _her_ he wondered. "Well, maybe she got spooked and took a different route to work. I mean, she was pretty shaken up that morning. I wouldn't blame her for it." Nodding in agreement Jun-pyo leaned back in his chair still twirling his pen around. Something about this just wasn't sitting right with him.

Was he cheated? Did she deceive him and he didn't see through it? His mind raced trying to opt in possible reasons for her disappearance but none of his ideas settled well in the pit of his stomach, at least not any better than Yi-jung's suggestion. He was positive that she didn't play him; as good as some people can act he's overly confident in his ability to see through people. She was honest when he questioned her and her reaction was sincere, it wasn't an act. But why then was she not showing up? Even if she took a different route she'd still end up walking by him at some point wouldn't she? It's possible that he just missed her each morning, but if he's overlooked her then is he overlooking potential suspects?

Sitting upright Jun-pyo fumbled with his phone. He had no messages. Running an hand over his head he pulled at the ends of his hair. Collecting his personal things he stood from his desk, "What's gotten you all riled up?" Yi-jung asked as he eye'd Jun-pyo warily. The early mornings were wearing him down some, as his partner and closest friend Yi-jung picked up on the tells of Jun-pyo's exhaustion right away. Of course times like these come with the job and they were well adjusted to how taxing it can be, that doesn't mean it's easy. "I'm going to get a coffee." Jun-pyo said gingerly as he rushed out before Yi-jung could offer to go with him. Looking back at the empty desk Yi-jung shrugged before focusing on his computer screen. "This guy has to be on one of these feeds." He muttered to himself quietly.

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"Welcome back, Sir!" Ga-eul greeted eagerly as she rushed up to the front counter. She had been wondering if Jun-pyo would return. Of course she was hoping it would be after Jan-di's return to work but the fact that he came back at all was enough to satisfy. Taking in Jun-pyo's run down features Ga-eul frowned slightly. His curly black sheep's mane ran rampant atop his head and dark circles hung from his eyes. He definitely has seen better days. "Uh- thank you." He answered cautiously giving her a confused look. Realizing that she was never actually introduced Ga-eul offered him her hand. "We didn't get to meet the other day. I'm Jan-di's partner, Chu Ga-eul." She beamed smiling widely. Jun-pyo shook her hand and introduced himself with a forced smile. He could definitely understand why bakery girl allowed her to decorate. She was warm and open, the kind of person that draws people to them. "It's nice to get to meet you. Are you here for your jacket?" Starring at her blankly Jun-pyo thought for a moment until realization stuck him, he had forgotten all about his jacket. "Yea actually, now that you mention it I am. I also was hoping to get a cup of coffee and possibly ask your partner some more questions."

"I can get you the coffee and jacket but as far as talking to Jan-di I can't help you. She's been out sick the past three days. She caught herself a nasty fever standing out in that rain." Ga-eul's words comforted Jun-pyo for some reason. Relaxing a bit he gave her a curt nod in understanding. He hadn't thought of the possibility of the bakery girl falling ill. No wonder I hadn't seen her. His nerves were finally settling down with this new information as he waited patiently for his jacket. "I'm so sorry" Ga-eul cried as she ran back up to the counter. "Jan-di sent the jacket to be cleaned at the dry cleaners the other day. They were supposed to return it here but may have dropped it off at her house instead. Let me call her really quick."

Grabbing her phone from her back pocket Ga-eul dialed Jan-di's number holding her breath as it continued ringing. Smiling nervously at Jun-pyo she hung up and redialed. Normally Jan-di answered right away and even though she's probably sleeping the more the phone rang the more anxious Ga-eul became. Flashing another smile at Jun-pyo Ga-eul hung up and called again letting out a breath of relief when Jan-di answered on the second ring. "Jan-di I'm sorry I know you're sick it's just… Wait, what? What do you mean? Are you hallucinating, do I need to call an ambulance?" Ga-eul asked worriedly trying to understand her friend's slurred speech. Jun-pyo cast her a questioning glance as he leaned over the counter. Laughing nervously as she listened intently waiting for Jan-di to explain Ga-eul turned around to face the wall.

"Jan-di is someone in your house?" Ga-eul whispered concerned as she turned to look back at Jun-pyo. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN SOMEONE BROKE INTO YOUR HOUSE!" She shrieked loudly earning Jun-pyo's full attention. "Listen to me, stop. Don't go chasing after them Jan-di just stay p-" with wide eyes Ga-eul turned around to face Jun-pyo her phone falling from her hand. "She hung up on me! She actually hung up on me." Ga-eul said in disbelief. Never in their entire friendship had Jan-di hung up on her, not ever. "Where does she live?" Jun-pyo asked as he rushed towards the bakery door his keys already out. Ga-eul yelled the apartment number and before she could finish Jun-pyo was out the door in his car. Starring after him Ga-eul looked back at her phone gripping it tightly.

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Groaning Jan-di lazily threw her hand over her couch trailing it across the end table trying to find her buzzing phone. She had fallen asleep on the couch too drained to make the journey down the hall to her bedroom. The living room was cooler anyways, making it more comfortable with her persistent fever. With a frustrated huff she lifted her head up; her phone wasn't on the end table. Reaching down she patted the floor thankful when the tip of her fingers finally brushed against its case. Grabbing it, she sat up slowly stretching her aching muscles; Ga-eul was calling her. Right when she went to hit answer the call ended. "What could she want?" she mumbled to herself rubbing her eyes seeing that she already had one missed call from Ga-eul.

It was dark in her apartment and her eyesight was fuzzy, yawning Jan-di got up from the couch her phone in hand. Jumping slightly when it buzzed to life again, she answered it quickly as she walked into her kitchen. "What is it?" she croaked voice cracking as she spoke. She was still half asleep. Phone secure in the crook of her neck Jan-di opened her fridge and grabbed her carton of watered down juice. As she closed the fridge she noticed that her front door was slightly ajar. Blinking a couple times to help her eyes adjust more in the dark Jan-di scanned her apartment ignoring Ga-eul's muttering about disturbing her. Catching a shadow move from the corner of her eye Jan-di's head snapped around in that direction every hair on her body standing up as she saw it disappear into her hallway. "Hey, whose there, why are you in my house!" Jan-di yelled setting the carton down and rounding her counter to follow the mysterious shadow.

_Maybe I'm just that tired_ she thought to herself as she looked down her hallway, everything seemed to be normal. Willing her pounding heart to calm down she hardly heard Ga-eul ask if she was hallucinating, "No I'm not hallucinating I thought someone broke into my house." She grumbled partially annoyed by the accusation. _I'm_ _not_ _that_ _sick_. Wincing from Ga-euls shrieking on the other end Jan-di held her phone away from her ear. _Good_ _grief_ she thought looking down at her phone. She was about to check inside her bathroom, just for reassurance when she heard the click of her bedroom door closing. Leaning back she looked down the hall, her once slightly cracked door now closed. "I swear when I get my hands on them!" Jan-di cursed quietly as she stormed down the hall stirring a panicked reaction from Ga-eul.

Leaning against the door Jan-di listened for any sudden movements but all she could hear over Ga-eul's fussing was some muffled shuffling. Hanging up the phone she listened again her hand turning white from her grip on the knob. A part of her wondered if she should call for help, but the idea of someone being left to roam freely around her home didn't sit well with her. Taking a deep breath she burst through the door belting out a cry fit for a battlefield. Her heartbeat drummed in her ears as she scanned her empty room, the window open. Laughing with relief Jan-di lowered her raised hands, amused with her imagination. Her door probably closed because of the breeze, and here she thought someone broke into her house. Bursting into hysterical fits of laughter Jan-di clutched her stomach as she leaned over. Once she calmed down she went to turn around but was suddenly knocked down to the ground, a glimpse of a person sprinted past her and leapt right out the open window.

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Rushing up the stairs Jun-pyo slowed down as he closed in on the apartment number he was looking for. Pressing himself against the wall he quietly edged his way towards the door, it was cracked open and the lights appeared to be off inside. Listening for any possible sound he cautiously crept closer pushing the door open bit by bit as he did. There was no visible movement or sound as he entered. Sweeping through the living room and kitchen Jun-pyo briskly made his way down the hallway, clearing the bathroom he moved towards the last room. "Bakery girl, are you okay?" he asked quietly as he rushed over to her. She was crouched down on the ground, one arm draped across her bed, breathing heavily and clutching her chest. Gently placing a hand on her arm Jun-pyo tugged on it to help her stand. She didn't move to get up, she just pointed to her open window, the curtain blowing around in the breeze.

"Did they go out the window?" Jun-pyo asked releasing her arm and walking around her bed to get a better look. Sticking his head out he looked around but saw no one. "Whoever it was, they're gone now. Let's get you up." Turning back to Jan-di Jun-pyo grabbed hold of her shoulders helping her stand. She was shaking and still trying to control her breathing. Setting her on the edge of her bed he looked her over checking for any sign of injury. From what he could tell she was just in shock. Motioning for her to stay put he left her and did another full sweep of her apartment. When he was sure there was no one else in the house he locked her front door and returned to her room.

Jan-di had calmed down and closed her window. Jun-pyo made a mental note of the stick she had placed in the seal and wondered if the lock was broken. "Are you okay?" He asked as he looked around her room more closely. From what he could tell nothing was tampered with, in fact her entire apartment looked as if she had just moved in. Aside from the basic necessary furniture each room was scarcely decorated. Anyone just walking through would probably assume that no one lived here. "I'm fine, just a little spooked." She said through shallow breaths. It was true, she was fine. Physically at least, her sense of security in her own home was a little shaken, another event to add to the list of unnerving encounters for the month she supposed. "Can you walk me through what happened?"

Jun-pyo was in detective mode by this point. He wasn't sure what it was about this girl but trouble seemed to find her, even in her own home. Nodding slightly Jan-di motioned for him to follow her to the living room. She looked at her now locked front door for an extra second before going back into the kitchen to get a drink. She offered Jun-pyo a glass of water which he politely declined as he settled himself on her couch. Drinking straight from the carton Jan-di chugged the last of her watered down apple juice. Setting it aside she leaned both hands on the counter and rested her head against the cold tile. She was burning up. Jun-pyo seemed to notice her feverish state as well because he rose from his spot on her couch and walked over to her, holding his hand against her forehead.

"My goodness, you're burning up." He murmured pulling her closer as he pressed the back side of his hand against her cheek, trailing it down the side of her neck. Jan-di relaxed against him the adrenaline rush wearing off. Her head was pounding again and she felt dizzy. "Where's your medicine?" He asked but she only heard the word medicine, shaking her head she slumped against the counter. Wrapping an arm around her waist Jun-pyo helped walk her to the couch. Sitting her down he went back to the kitchen tearing through her cupboards cursing under his breath as each one he opened was bare. Whispering something unintelligent he stalked off to search her bathroom. "The woman has to have some medicine, somewhere." _Or_ _not_, he thought running his hand down his face.

"You, where's your house key?" He barked as he walked back into the living room where Jan-di was now laying on the couch hardly awake. "Hey, bakery girl" he said shaking her lightly, "I asked you where your house key was." Looking in the direction she was pointing he grabbed the jacket that was draped over a chair, searching the pockets he grabbed her keys and turned to inform her that he was stepping out for a minute but she was passed out, snoring softly. "What an irresponsible person." He scoffed as he looked down at her sleeping form. Grabbing his things he made sure her door was locked before heading down to his car, "I really need a coffee."


	6. Possible lead

"You're awake." Startled Jun-pyo shot up right, heart racing as he took in his surroundings. _That's right, _he thought looking up at Jan-di who was standing over him with her head titled to the side, her bangs sticking out in all directions from sweating in her sleep. "I see you're up too." He yawned stretching his arms. He had fallen asleep on her couch after helping her into bed after he returned from getting food and medicine, memories of him struggling to get her to wake up long enough to eat or drink anything flashing through his mind. She simply nodded as she stood there swaying in place. "What time is it?" Jun-pyo asked scratching his head. What day is it seemed to be a more appropriate question, he felt like he'd slept for hours, days even.

"It's about three in the morning. My fever broke a couple hours ago so I was getting ready for work when I realized you were on my couch." Looking at her with a dumbfounded expression Jun-pyo let her words register. "You should probably take it easy today before returning to work." He protested as he looked her over. She looked a lot better and was acting like she felt better but she could still be fighting off her illness. Brows furrowed and nose scrunched Jan-di starred and Jun-pyo as if his presence left a bad taste in her mouth, "thanks for the advice. But I think I'll be fine." She grunted turning to walk into her kitchen. Jun-pyo had stalked up some items in her fridge and she was hoping one of those items was juice.

"Listen bakery girl, I didn't go through the trouble of getting you medicine for you to be too stubborn to rest. It's just one more day, it's not like your bakery can't function without you. Just stay home and make sure you're better before returning to work." He snipped looking anywhere but at her. She could be so infuriating. It's a wonder she's survived on her own, she obviously has no sense of self preservation. "Listen here, my names not bakery girl for one, and for two no one asked you to do that, let alone stick around. So don't get snippy with me because you woke up in a bad mood." Jun-pyo let a low growl rumble in his chest, he wasn't amused by her display of gratitude and he suddenly remembered his first encounter with her. _Ungrateful and rude_ was his thoughts as he started at her.

"I have more important things to do than remember your name. Also, I stuck around because you were sick and someone had broken into your house earlier, a thank you of some form wouldn't kill you." Jan-di puffed out her chest like she was about to let him have it when she paused, letting the collected air in her lungs escape with a squeak. "That's right," she mumbled thoughtfully holding a finger up "I almost forgot someone broke in, earlier." She said looking over her shoulder at her front door which had a new lock on it, courtesy of Jun-pyo.

"What was all that about anyways? You passed out with a fever before I got the story." He stated calmly. It was a rather important issue, and he needed her cooperation to get the details. Arguing with her was pointless and wasting time. He needed to get ready for work too; he could already imagine the hell Yi-jung is going to raise since he disappeared yesterday. Snorting Jan-di crossed her arms and looked over at him from her kitchen, scrunching her nose up with a pout. She resembled a toddler and Jun-pyo had to refrain from chuckling at her childlike manner.

"I woke up from Ga-eul calling me. I was asleep on the couch because it was cooler than my bedroom, once I answered my phone I walked into the kitchen to get a drink. That's when I noticed that my front door was cracked open, and then I noticed movement in my hallway. I thought I was just tired and seeing things so I was going to write it off as that but then my bedroom door shut on its own which I thought was odd. I hung up with Ga-eul, mainly because I couldn't focus with her freaking out in the background and went to check it out. When I opened my bedroom door my window was open so I thought the breeze caused my door to close suddenly but then whoever it was pushed me on the ground and jumped out the window."

Jun-pyo sat silently as he wrestled with this information. "It's not uncommon for people to break into homes during the day. That's usually when everyone is at work so most places are empty." He commented to sort out his own thoughts more than anything, but Jan-di grunted in response waiting for him to continue. "Thieves are commonly not violent as well, they don't prefer confrontation which is why they break in when no ones home." Still, that aching feeling he gets in his stomach when something didn't seem right was hitting him in full force, making him nauseas. _Nothing in her apartment was disturbed and she hasn't complained about anything missing, not that there's much to take. So why break in at all, whoever it was would have seen her sleeping on the couch right away, why risk getting caught and entering with her home?_

"Do you have a safe or anything of great value in your home?" Jan-di shook her head instantly in response to his question, "why?" she asked curious as to what he was thinking.

"I don't get why they would have entered your home and risked getting caught, if they came in through the front door they would have seen you sleeping on the couch." Jan-di tried to think of anything that she has that someone would find worth stealing but she couldn't come up with anything. Everything she had was pretty basic. "It didn't look like your door was forced open; do you remember if it was locked?" Humming thoughtfully Jan-di tried to think back on the past few days after she got home sick but she couldn't remember for sure. "I'm really not sure to be honest" she uttered bashfully, rubbing the back of her head trying to cover up her embarrassment.

"What about your window, do you normally leave it open?" Pursing her lips together Jan-di thought hard, but she couldn't think of a time she's ever opened her window. "No, actually I don't ever open my window. I don't know why it was open when I walked into my room. It doesn't lock and I forget to put the stick back if I open it, so I never do." Frowning Jun-pyo rubbed his temple. _That doesn't make any sense, if they opened the window why wait for her to enter the room before fleeing, why not jump out the window right away?_

Groaning in frustration he stood up his knees creaking as he did. Man, he was getting old or at least he felt like it. "Well, I'll check and see if there have been any other cases in the area that are similar to yours. Just in case you should get in the habit of locking your door all the time even when you're home, it's not safe to be so careless when you're living alone."

"I don't need you to tell me how to take care of myself. I can do that just fine on my own." Jan-di argued her independent streak coming out. It was bad enough with Ga-eul on her case all the time she didn't want to hear it from him as well.

Jun-pyo snorted at her comment purely amused at how this woman has tricked herself into believing that she's capable of living on her own. . "I've seen your idea of taking care of yourself, trust me sweetheart you may like the idea of being independent but you suck at it." Shooting him an icy glare Jan-di gaped at him taking offense from his comment. "My name's not sweetheart either you prick." She snarled, before she could continue her verbal lashing Jun-pyo waved her off with his hand as he walked towards her front door. "Just lock the door behind me, and stay home." He said before walking out without another word. Huffing in annoyance Jan-di walked over and locked the door behind him complaining the entire time. Looking back at the couch where he was sleeping she thought about what he said and decided that spending the day getting things settled at home may not be such a bad day after all.

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"Hey man where have you been?" Yi-jung asked as soon as Jun-pyo walked into the office. Rolling his eyes Jun-pyo hastily plopped down in his chair. "Some things came up." He mumbled quietly earning a look from Yi-jung who eventually shrugged and went back to what he was doing. Jun-pyo starred Yi-jung down intently wondering why he let it go so easily. Never in the history of their friendship has he accepted such an open ended answer, especially when Jun-pyo's taken off for the day without a word or reason. "Can I help you?" Yi-jung asked looking back at Jun-pyo who was still starring at him, shaking his head Jun-pyo grabbed a file from his desk and began reading it over.

No matter how many times he went over everything he couldn't find anything that would give them a break in their case. "You know if you concentrate hard enough the paper your holding might burst into flames." Setting the file down Jun-pyo shot a questioning glance at Yi-jung who still appeared to be deeply focused on his computer screen. "Do you have something you want to tell me?" Jun-pyo snipped his bad mood showing its head. He didn't start the day off on a great note so he wasn't in the mood to play games. Also, after having bakery girls coffee a few days ago every cup he's drank since has been greatly disappointing. His pride wouldn't allow him to go back there today, not after their argument earlier. He didn't feel like seeing her face for a while, or ever again if he could help it.

"I think I got a lead on where our guy may have came from." Interested in Yi-jung's statement Jun-pyo wheeled his chair over to his desk. "Where did this come from?" Jun-pyo asked watching the video footage Yi-jung was playing. "From the bakeshop that girl owns. I stopped by on my way in this morning. Your baker girl wasn't in today but the other one was more than willing to give me copies of their footage." Jun-pyo smirked at Yi-jung's comment about bakery girl, _sounds like she took my advice after all_. "This is from the night of the murder, this guy's obviously aware of the cameras businesses have set up there's no shot of his face coming or going, but maybe we can figure out where he was coming from, check out if he is in fact our guy. Either way he definitely seems to be up to something shady, look at his body language." Impressed with Yi-jung's headway on this Jun-pyo patted his friend on the back. It wasn't often but sometimes Yi-jung pulled some weight around the office. He's always been specifically gifted with the technological side of things, leaving Jun-pyo to master he art of interrogation. Of course, there was no duo on the police force as in sync as them.

Getting up Jun-pyo gathered his things as he followed Yi-jung out of the office, a smile on his face. This meant that he could get himself a cup of coffee and his jacket all while not having to worry about seeing that ungrateful baker again. "I call driving!" Yi-jung called out racing to his car. Feeling better than he was earlier Jun-pyo didn't argue and gladly got in the passenger seat. "You seem to be in a good mood suddenly, what are you thinking about" nodding Jun-pyo smiled up at his partner "Coffee." Puzzled Yi-jung just shook his head, "Yea, coffee's good and all but have you ever had sex?"

"Stop asking stupid questions and drive." Jun-pyo said harshly smacking Yi-jung upside the head. Smiling widely Yi-jung laughed carelessly at his friends sudden mood change. "You're giving me whiplash." He commented earning himself another smack but he didn't care, he enjoyed getting to have these playful moments with Jun-pyo.

The drive was quick and Jun-pyo was thankful for the lack of traffic this morning. He really needed that coffee.

"You're back" Ga-eul chirped as the two walked into the shop. Yi-jung didn't catch that the comment was directed at Jun-pyo and quickly went into an explanation of how his partner seemed to swear by their coffee. Thankful for his friend's inability to catch on in moments like this Jun-pyo winked at Ga-eul hoping she would go alone with it. He was blessed with the fact that Yi-jung was too preoccupied with his discovery this morning to question him heavily. Ga-eul frowned slightly at his motion but as Yi-jung ranted she played her part to a T. She was a sharp girl and for that Jun-pyo was thankful.

"Our coffee is the best on this side of the city, Jan-di's mastered roasting the beans perfectly. We've won awards for it since the year we opened so I'd say your partner there has good taste." Yi-jung looked back at Jun-pyo with a dumbfounded expression; he definitely wasn't expecting that, then again this news took Jun-pyo by surprise himself. "You want two coffees to go then?" Ga-eul asked holding up two fingers. Nodding Jun-pyo took a seat on the stool at the counter while they waited. "So what brings you guys here today?" Ga-eul asked while she prepared their coffees. "We're following a possible lead from the video footage you gave me this morning." Yi-jung answered quickly taking a seat next to Jun-pyo. His comment made Ga-eul freeze for a moment, "you think whoever murdered that girl is on the footage from our cameras?" She asked turning to look at them.

Yi-Jung nodded as he bid her a quiet thanks while taking the cup she placed in front of him. "We're not sure of anything yet," Jun-pyo intervened shooting daggers at his partner with his eyes. "We're looking into the footage from other businesses and asking if anyone's noticed anyone strange in the area late at night or early in the morning." Humming thoughtfully Ga-eul handed Jun-pyo his coffee which he thanked her for. "One of our part time girls complained last night about some guy pacing outside the shop. She called Jan-di's brother who also works here part time in the evenings to help her close up and walk her home." Jun-pyo looked over at Yi-jung who was completely distracted by his coffee to take in what Ga-eul was saying, earning himself an elbow to the ribs. "What, I'm sorry. This coffee is amazing, I didn't catch what you were saying."

"She said," Jun-pyo bit out through clenched teeth, "that one of their employees noticed someone suspicious walking around last night. We need to see if we can follow anything from this video surveillance lead."

"How much for the coffees?" Jun-pyo asked looking back at Ga-eul who shook her head "don't worry about it, coffees are on the house." Frowning Jun-pyo insisted that they pay for the coffee, he didn't pay the first time and he had two cups then. "I mean it, don't worry about it, we're not charging you guys. Jan-di said to think of it as a form of thanks for all your help." Jun-pyo caught the underlying meaning to Ga-euls message, thankfully Yi-jung was still as clueless as ever. Putting his wallet back in his pocket he thanked Ga-eul again grabbing his cup, he almost made it to the door before Yi-jung piped up, "Wait, so is this where you went for coffee yesterday?"

Cursing under his breath Jun-pyo turned to give some sarcastic remark to throw Yi-jung off but Ga-eul best him to it. "I didn't serve him any coffee yesterday." She winked at Jun-pyo when Yi-jung wasn't looking and he smirked nodding his head. That girl definitely was a sharp one, he'd have to make it up to her sometime later.

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Finally done with this chapter. I don't know why it was so difficult to finish but it really was. Till next time!


	7. The Hospital

"The man is insufferable Ga-eul." Jan-di whined resting her phone in the crook of her neck while she cooked. She finally had a kitchen full of food and she was making a point to cook dinner every night since the morning Gu Jun-pyo stormed out. "I think you guys just had a bad morning, he's not rude at all. I don't know why you won't go out and serve him." Ga-eul chided in her mom voice. Sighing heavily Jan-di set the spatula in her hand down so she could grip her phone which was slipping out of place, "I told you what he said to me, I can't believe you're still taking his side." Gu Jun-pyo and his partner have made a point to come in and get coffee each day the past week. Still holding a grudge Jan-di's refused to wait on either of them, making Ga-eul go out and serve their coffees. It would be good business if she was charging them but free coffee seemed to be the only way she could repay him for his kindness to her while she was sick.

"It's not that I'm on his side. I understand he struck a nerve with you and though his words may be sharp he was kind enough to care for you when you were ill. I was worried to death and he didn't have to stay with you, but he did. You need to stop being childish and grow up a little, I can't believe you call yourself an adult." Sticking her tongue out at the phone Jan-di complained that Ga-eul sounded just like Gu Jun-pyo. "Oh stop it Jan-di. Besides, what are you going to do if they come in when I'm not there? Tell them to go away?" Grumbling under her breath Jan-di mulled over the idea but eventually gave in admitting that she would wait on them. "I think he had some good points too, you should take more caution." Groaning Jan-di prepared herself for what was to come, they have had this conversation for years since Jan-di moved out on her own right after high school and Ga-eul was persistent if anything.

"You should move in with Hae-jin and I." There it was, Jan-di could almost recite the argument Ga-eul was about to deliver by heart. It's only the millionth time she's been offered to move in with Ga-eul and her son. "Ga-eul, I love you and I love my nephew. But I'm perfectly fine on my own. Besides, what am I going to do when some handsome bachelor falls into your lap and you and Hae-jin move in with him? You're young and one day it will happen. I don't want to be in the way and I like my space."

"Then at least promise me that you will be careful when you're alone, at work and at home."

"I will, I promise. As long as you promise to get back out there, I know it's hard for you but your son needs a male figure in his life other than your father. As awesome of a grandpa as he is, Hae-jin needs a dad. Not every guy is going to be a jerk like your ex and before you say it I know you want to focus on spending time on your son, but you've done that. He's happy; you deserve to be happy too."

"I'm plenty happy thank you." Ga-eul shot back in a matter of fact tone.

"I mean with a man by your side, your sons six now. He's old enough for you to start dating again. You have next week off for his field trip, just think about it. You've been doing everything on your own for so long, it'd be nice to know there's someone to take care of you."

"You're one to talk." Ga-eul snorted and Jan-di rolled her eyes. "I'll be safe. Think about it please. I'll see you tomorrow." Hanging up the phone Jan-di let it slide down into her hand. Looking over at the new lock on her door she took a deep breath. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't concerned about being alone in her own house. The idea that someone had broken in when she was home and in such a weak state was unsettling and the fact that she chased after them was stupid on her part. What was she, a character in a poorly written horror movie? That's how those people end up dead, chasing shadows and sounds in the dark. Walking over to her door she made sure it was locked. She couldn't let it happen again, as much as she hated to admit it Ga-eul and Gu Jun-pyo were right, she needed to be more careful.

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Fighting off a yawn Jan-di rubbed her hands together for warmth as she casually walked down the dimly lit street. Ga-eul's been on vacation for two days and she was already exhausted form taking on the daily work load herself. Also with the suggestion that the person who killed that lady had passed by their bakery Jan-di's been adamant about returning to close up the shop so that her part timers could get home before the sun went down. She wasn't willing to take a chance when it came to her employees. Winter would soon be upon them and she mentally scolded herself for not dressing warmer. She really needed to pay better attention to the weather reports before going out or she was going to find herself sick again.

She got out of the shop later than usual tonight too, in less than six hours she'd be back here walking down this same street. Though she'd at least have a warmer jacket on when she returned for work. Slowing her pace she held her breath as she approached the alley, it seems to be taboo to use it since the murder. Most people have steered clear of it at all costs. Still Jan-di takes it everyday to and from work, it's the quickest way and she can't afford to take the extra time to detour. Even so, it wasn't easy on her. Every time she neared the alley her heart would start fluttering and her hands shaking. Generally in the mornings she notices a police vehicle parked somewhere on each side of the alley so she's not as nervous, but since she's been walking home at night she's noticed that they're not out yet. A part of her wondered if the killer has noticed this as well.

Turning into the alley Jan-di's blood went cold as the soft muffled cries of a woman reached her ears. Freezing in mid step she pushed herself against the wall, praying that she was hidden in its shadow. She wanted to turn around, run maybe. She did promise that she could be more careful but her feet felt heavy as she listened to the rise and fall of someone pleading for help. Pulling her phone out with trembling hands Jan-di pre-dialed the emergency number just in case she needed to call. She could be overreacting, she till wasn't sure of the situation she's found herself in.

Taking deep breaths to calm herself she scooted down the dark alleyway, making sure to stay pressed against the wall as much as possible and to be as quiet as she could. It was dark and the overcast sky blocked the moon making it darker than usual. As she crept towards the dumpster Jan-di could hardly begin to make out the form of what she assumed to be a man, standing over the woman who was hysterically sobbing by now. Caution thrown to the wind she hit the send button dialing the emergency number as she broke into a sprint, "Hey you, get away from her!" she bellowed boldly surprising herself with how far and clear her voice carried.

The guy stopped and turned to face her, but she didn't slow down. She could hear the woman crying harder as she charged towards them and she hastily relayed her location to the dispatcher on the line before breaking out into defense mode. Dodging the first swing that came her way Jan-di placed a perfect side kick into his abdomen sending him stumbling back a couple steps. Taking her stance she waited to see if he was going to make a move or run. Her goal was to keep him away from the woman he was attacking. With her phone still in her hand, the dispatcher yelling at her from the other side barely audible, she weighed her options of distracting him until the police arrived.

She could hang up the phone, but that was probably as stupid as charging someone head on like she did. Slipping her phone into her pocket she moved to the side swiftly as the guy staggered towards her. She just needed to make sure that he stayed at a distance. As long as he did she could defend herself until help arrived. As she dodged his attacks she made sure to block the woman as best she could, posing as a barrier between the two. Backing up slowly Jan-di looked down suddenly; the lady was tugging on her pant leg. The action startled her at first, even in the dark she could tell how badly injured this lady was. "Pl-please don't let me die like this." She cried holding onto Jan-di's leg with all her strength. Their eyes locked for only a second but it was long enough for the assailant to take advantage of her distracted state. Grabbing hold of Jan-di by the throat he lifted her off the ground slamming her against the brick wall with all his might.

The woman who was begging for help sobbed hopelessly at the sight of Jan-di pinned against the wall, she began mumbling nonsense about how they both were going to die here. Gasping for breath and clawing viciously at the gloved hand that held her Jan-di squirmed desperate to free herself from his grasp. He was stronger than she suspected him to be. His slender figure was clothed in baggy pants and an over-sized sweater, the hood hiding most of his face. Stopping her thrashing Jan-di collected herself enough to land a decent blow to his shin. The blow was enough for him to release her, falling down with a grunt Jan-di threw her whole body into motion slamming him against the wall. Stumbling back gasping for air she watched as he fell to the ground.

Flashes of color illuminated the alley and the siren's wail echoed off the walls; looking back at the car that was now visibly parked in the entry way Jan-di thanked the heavens. About damn time she thought as she turned to face the man she was sparring with moments ago, but he was gone. "Are you okay?" Turning around towards the officer running down they alley all Jan-di could make out as she nodded was his flashlight, pointing to the woman who was lying on the ground by the dumpster Jan-di managed to mutter "She needs help" before her world went black.

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"Where is she?" Jun-pyo barked as he stalked down the hospital corridor. He was sleeping when he got the call that there was another victim and that one Geum Jan-di intercepted the event. He spent the entire way to the hospital cursing her and her thoughtless behavior. He wanted to yell at her and ask her if she was stupid but at the same time he knew that their victim was possibly only be alive due to her interference. It was a thin line he was balancing on and as he took a sharp turn into the room Yi-jung pointed to he managed to find his resolve from the mere sight of her.

His froze for a moment upon entering the doorway. Jan-di was sitting on the bed going over some paperwork with a nurse for her discharge. She looked like a wreck and he found himself wondering how many sides of her he was going to see before this case was over. Knocking on the door to make his presence known Jan-di looked up at him with wide eyes, almost as if she were surprised to see him there. The nurse caught onto the change in atmosphere instantly, she politely excused herself, shuffling past Jun-pyo with the clipboard of paperwork pressed tightly against her chest.

Words caught in his throat Jun-pyo stood there silent for a second, he wanted to scold her and praise her for managing to stay alive and come out almost completely unscathed. Deciding that neither would be beneficial he went with the safe approach, "are you okay?" It was a silly question, of course she's not, or at least she shouldn't be after what just happened. But, he asked none the less and silence fell between them once again before she responded.

"I'm fine. Just a little tired." It was an honest answer, with a nod Jun-pyo took a seat in the chair next to her bedside before continuing.

"I heard you were unconscious when they brought you in." He was fishing, trying to determine how far he could push without setting her off. If he made her mad she'd probably be too stubborn to cooperate right now and he really wanted to get this part done tonight. "I was." Straightforward and to the point as always, he wondered when he began to expect something different from her. "The doctors believe I collapsed from exhaustion. They said I most likely exerted myself too much and my fatigue caught up to me." Jun-pyo starred at her for a moment taking in her words as well as her tousled hair, the faint bruising around her neck, and the dark circles around her eyes. She did look fried.

"Are you not sleeping well?" He wouldn't be surprised if she was having a hard time resting. She had plenty of reasons to toss and turn in night. "Sleep is an issue, but not the problem. I've been opening and closing. I feel better being able to send my other employee's home before it gets dark given everything going on. I guess it just finally took its toll on me."

"I was wondering why you were out and about during this time." It was an odd statement, and Jun-pyo wasn't sure himself as to why he needed to make the comment. He was sure that she went out at all hours, and he's never given that fact much thought till now. Jan-di gave him a weird look and he found himself fidgeting under her gaze. "How's the girl?" Jan-di asked, breaking the ever persistent silence.

"I don't know. Yi-jung is waiting to question her." Snorting at his comment Jan-di rolled her eyes causing Jun-pyo to raise a brown in question to her reaction. "That sounded almost like an insult and you didn't even say anything."

"Your partner is nice but he's kind of an airhead. Of the two of you I feel like you're way more responsible." Chuckling at her observation Jun-pyo couldn't argue with her. "I definitely can be, but Yi-jung takes his job very seriously and he's great at it too. He just thinks that if you're too serious in life you'll get premature wrinkles, and well... he likes to keep things lively."

Jan-di winced as she laughed at his comment. She was probably a little more roughed up than she cared to admit and her expression didn't go unnoticed by Jun-pyo. "You should rest. I can get your statement later." He wasn't sure why, but he didn't like seeing her in pain. It tugged at his heart and bit and he wished he could help her. She didn't ask to be in the middle like this. If anything he was thoroughly convinced that she was the unluckiest person in the universe. No one would ask to go through these things, and yet as stubborn and infuriating as she can be she's never once complained.

"Actually, I need to call a cab so I can get home and get ready for work, Ga-eul is on vacation so it's all me this week." Brows furrowed together with worry Jun-pyo placed a hand on her shoulder stopping her as she moved to slide off the bed. "You have a few hours until you have to go in, just rest. I'll be here for a while so I'll wake you up and drive you." Jan-di's first reaction was to argue, but she couldn't muster the energy so she nodded and laid down. "Gu Jun-pyo," she called out quietly as he stood to give her some privacy, "Thank you."

It was the first time she's thanked him, nodding he smiled at her before taking his leave. He didn't know how to process what just happened, or how it was affecting him. As he made his way towards Yi-jung who was talking to the hospital staff Jun-pyo placed his hand on his chest, his heart pounding rapidly.

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Working up towards a little more interaction between the two and I am hoping to be able to swing another chapter out this weekend, maybe two. Till next time!


	8. Please excuse my stupidity

It's going to be a bit before my next update. I spent four hours typing up this next chapter and right when I was about to upload it to the document manager I accidentally deleted it without having anything saved. Overall I learned my lesson, and am too busy with work as well and tired to rewrite it all right now. I promise I'll have it up in the next couple weeks; I'm just going to kick myself the next couple of days before I get started on it again. I appreciate the patience and support I've gotten from you all and hope to continue to have your patience and support. If time opens up I'll definitely get it up sooner but with my schedule it's not looking likely. Thank again everyone, till next time!


	9. Chapter 9

Gnawing on the end of her pen Jan-di looked over the papers that were scattered across the table. It's been slow today, given the events of last night most likely, and so she decided it was a good time to get a head start on balancing the books for the month. It wasn't her favorite thing to do but it was something at least. Thankful for the distraction she frowned as she shuffled some of the papers around, things just don't always add up sometimes. Ga-eul was the accounting master between the two, math just wasn't her strong point. She was more of a creative soul and she preferred to stick to the things she was good at.

"You know, if you focus too hard you might hurt yourself." Startled Jan-di jumped slightly, the pen she was chewing on falling from her mouth. She had been so caught up in her thoughts she hadn't noticed Gu Jun-pyo walk in. She raised a brow in question wondering when he began to feel so comfortable that he would walk into the back like he were an employee but she decided to let it go. He had done a lot for her recently, this wasn't a battle she needed to fight. "You startled me." She choked out holding a hand over her pounding heart. She wasn't really surprised to see he had stopped by, but at the same time she hadn't expected him to come so soon. Glancing at the clock on the wall she noticed that it was almost closing time and she wondered where the time went. "Sorry," he mumbled pulling out a chair and sitting down next to her.

"Do you need something?" She asked, unsure as to why he seemed to be making himself comfortable.

"You're closing up soon right? I figured I could give you a ride home and talk to you about what happened last night." Nodding numbly Jan-di let out a small sigh and gathered the papers into a neat pile. It's not as if she was getting anywhere really. If anything Ga-eul would just come back and redo it all anyways.

"You really don't have to give me a ride you know." She wasn't sure why she was being so stubborn, maybe it was because she felt indebted to him. Either way, she wanted to kick herself as soon as the words left her mouth. A ride would be great, she wasn't eager to walk home today anyways. She was very sore, more than she cared to admit and as she stretched her arms above her head she winced in pain, something that did not go unnoticed by Gu Jun-pyo. He eyed her carefully but didn't say anything. "It's not a problem honestly, besides the alley is still blocked off. It'll be more trouble than it's worth for you to detour."

Relieved that he pursued the issue Jan-di offered a small but genuine smile. She hadn't smiled much today and her face ached from the gesture. "Thank you, I guess I hadn't thought of that."

He grunted in reply and an awkward silence filled the room as they say quietly, each one wrestling with their inner thoughts.

"Was there anything in specific you wanted to ask me about last night?" Jan-di asked, stealing a glance at the detective that sat beside her. She wasn't sure why but her heart never stopped racing after he sat down and she wondered just exactly what his presence was doing to her. It wasn't like her to be so antsy. _It must be due to the current events_ she thought waiting for him to respond.

Gu Jun-pyo sat thoughtfully trying to determine the best way to approach this. He still wanted to ask her what she was thinking, but he knew she had been through enough and didn't want to upset her further. Rubbing his hands down his face he propped his elbows up on the table and looked at her. She could see how tired he was, not just physically but mentally as well. This whole case was wearing on him, as she assumed most of them did. "I do need a formal statement from you. You'll probably have to go in to the station and write everything out for the investigation. You're a little more involved now. You may even have to testify in court after we catch the guy."

Letting his words sink in Jan-di could only nod. She hadn't thought about any of those things and the realization of how entangled she had become with this whole thing was beginning to weigh on her. Her stomach knotted and she felt sick. This wasn't something she could so easily put behind her and who knows how long after they catch the guy court could take. Would it be weeks, months, years? The idea only added to her nausea. Noticing her sudden discomfort Gu Jun-pyo reached out and cupped her cheek, causing her to look up at him. He starred at her, smiling softly as his thumb stroked her skin, "It's going to be alright." He assured dropping his hand down to rest on her shoulder, squeezing it lightly.

Reaching up and grabbing his hand she squeezed it in return. She wanted to ask him so many things but the words wouldn't settle down in her mind. They whirled around like storm and she prayed that one day this storm would pass so she could form sentences to explain how she felt.

"What were you thinking, charging in like that?" The way he presented his question made it seem like he had switched into work mode, but what he was asking wasn't relevant for his investigation. He truly was concerned and yet he sounded like he was insulting her at the same time, Jan-d couldn't help but chuckle quietly to herself over this. It was as if he was balancing between two different personalities and she wondered if his behavior changes ever gave anyone whiplash.

"I wasn't really I guess." He was anything but pleased with her answer and it was evident in his expression.

"Do I need to get you a pamphlet on how to avoid dangerous situations?" He was teasing now, trying to lighten the mood some maybe. A heaviness had filled the room and Jan-di felt like she was suffocating under the pressure.

"Yea, maybe next time I'll throw it at him as a distraction." Gu Jun-pyo's head snapped up at that and there was a fire burning in his eyes. "There's not going to be a next time." Rolling her eyes Jan-di moved to get up from her chair, slowly. Every muscle in her body creaked and let out a wail as she moved. "Calm down, it was a bad attempt at a joke." She waited for him to snort and come back with some snarky comment but he went silent again. Deciding to let him brood Jan-di shuffled to the kitchen where she began cleaning up. Gu Jun-pyo sat stiff as a board at the table where she had left him, sighing she walked over and placed a mug down next to him. He was probably tired, and she assumed that he had a longer night ahead of him.

He didn't say anything he just sipped on his coffee quietly while she finished closing shop. It was all she could do and it seemed to be the only way she could repay him.

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"Geum Jan-di, my girl!" Cringing at the sound of her name Jan-di turned and feigned excitement as she embraced Dr. Yoon. It's been a long time since she had run into the doctor and a pang of guilt tugged at the edge of her heart from knowing it was intentional. "Dr. Yoon, it's so nice to see you. How have you been?" She asked stepping back to look at him. Age was definitely starting to catch up to the doctor and she wondered if it really had been so many years ago that she volunteered in his clinic. "I am better now that I've seen you my dear. How are you, why don't you visit anymore?" His question stabbed at her again and she made a mental note to be sure to at least call him from time to time.

"I'm sorry, I've been busy with the shop. But, I promise as things settle down I'll be sure to call in now and again." Her promise seemed to appease him because he smiled brightly at her and patted her hand muttering something of acceptance.

"What brings you here?" She smiled trying to think of a quick excuse that wasn't far from the truth. The good doctor knew her well, and she was a terrible liar. The truth would be too much and she feared if she told him he would tell Ji-hoo. Something she definitely did not want to happen. Dr. Yoon was always a nosy person also, even if he didn't blab to Ji-hoo about her current situation, which was that she had just finished giving a formal written statement for the open murder case, then he would make a point to check in on her. Another thing she did not want. Luck was on her side it seemed, as she opened her mouth to give him a poor excuse for her visit to the station Gu Jun-pyo walked by, redirecting himself towards them the moment her eyes caught his. "I'm here to see a friend." She said smoothly, waving at Gu Jun-pyo as he approached them.

"Gu Jun-pyo you didn't mention that you were friends with Geum Jan-di." Dr. Yoon gushed greeting the detective. Sharp as always Gu Jun-pyo didn't miss a beat in commenting that he had just met Jan-di by chance when he stumbled upon her bake shop. Dr. Yoon seemed pleased to know that Gu Jun-pyo and his partner frequently visited the shop.

"Good, good. It's nice to see all you kids get along. Ji-hoo was always so worried about introducing you two, it seems his worries were for nothing." If this threw Gu Jun-pyo off Dr. Yoon couldn't tell. Gu Jun-pyo smiled widely and redirected the conversation effortlessly but Jan-di noticed the look he gave her from the corner of his eye, it appeared that they had a common acquaintance and she was positive from the way he tensed his arm as he placed a hand to her back that she wouldn't be able to get out of answering his questions.

"We better get going," Gu Jun-pyo stated pushing Jan-di forward "We have a lunch date."

"Take care of her my boy. She deserves it after putting up with my idiot grandson." In that moment Jan-di wished for nothing more than for the earth to open up and swallow her whole. Desperate to hide her discomfort she squeaked a goodbye out to the doctor and followed Gu Jun-pyo out to his car. He played his part well opening the door for her and she quickly slipped into the passenger seat, sitting stiffly while looking ahead. The drive was silent, and Jan-di wondered where he was even taking her. Obviously the lunch date comment was a cover, but as they pulled up to a popular hole in the wall restaurant Jan-di quickly determined that it wasn't as far-fetched of an idea as she thought.

Turning to look at Jun-pyo she almost jumped in realizing that he was already starring at her. He didn't say a word and from the look in his eye she knew, she was having lunch with him and the price of him bringing her here was answers. Gulping, she gave a shaky smile but his expression didn't change. He leaned over and she found herself entranced by the warmth radiating off of him. The warmth that held her hand and trailed across her skin as he brushed her cheek and squeezed her gently at times for comfort. Unintentionally drawn to him she leaned in as well until he was only a breath away, their noses a mere hair from touching. Her whole world froze as she gazed into his eyes. Her heartbeat took off again, it's steady drum pounding in her chest as if she were marching into battle.

Then it hit her, the reality of their closeness washed over her as if someone suddenly dumped a bucket of cold water over her head and she jerked back from instinct. Whatever it was that Gu Jun-pyo saw in her expression as she tried to compose herself he found it amusing. Scrambling to get out of the car she was surprised to find that her door swung open before she could grasp the handle. Looking at Gu Jun-pyo's outstretched hand she almost shoved it away, fearful of her own reaction to him. But as she looked up at his expression she felt the storm within her calm, heart still pounding she reached out and grabbed his steady hand with her shaky one. As she stepped out of his car, still holding onto him she smiled. Thank goodness Ga-eul is back from vacation she thought as she followed him inside their hands still intertwined.

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Sorry for the delayed update. Again, I originally wrote this chapter and then accidentally deleted it which led to frustration and I kinda took a breather before coming back and redoing it. I've been CRAZY busy also and extremely fatigued lately. I think I'm getting sick. I also pologize that this chapter is kinda dull. I couldn't capture the same setting I originally had and in my frustration with having to rewrite it I made some changes. I'll definitely be updating on a weekly basis for now, just bear with me. Things are moving a bit slower than I want, but I want to do so much with this story I'm trying to work out the kinks.

Thanks for putting up with me guys, till next time!


	10. Lunch

Fidgeting impatiently Jan-di picked at the skin around her nails. A bad habit of hers when she was nervous. Gu Jun-pyo was oddly quiet as they sat across from each other waiting on their food to arrive. She had half expected a full-on interrogation the moment they sat down. To her surprise he was rather polite instead and she wondered if she was wrong about him and his intentions.

"What are you thinking?" His question caught her off guard and she found herself blinking back at him dumbly, pointing to herself as if to clarify that he were in fact speaking to her. He simply nodded while taking a sip of his water, his eyes never leaving hers.

"I'm trying to figure out what we're doing here."

Raising a slim brow in question to her statement Go Jun-pyo broke out into a Cheshire grin.

"We're having lunch."

"But, why?"

He simply chuckled and twirled his glass in his hand, propping an elbow up on the table. "Why indeed. I'm curious about you," his eyes flashed from hers down to his glass as he spoke, almost as if he was bored. "It seems we have more in common than I thought, and since you can't seem to stay out of trouble I thought we'd get better acquainted."

"It's not like I try. I'm just unlucky." She couldn't read his expression as he starred at her for a moment but it made her uncomfortable and she found herself shifting in her chair under his piercing gaze.

"That's one way to put it." He mumbled to himself. "You know, there was a rumor that Ji-hoo was engaged at one time. Of course, Yi-Jung and I brushed it off at just that, a rumor. But, I'm wondering now, after that little encounter with the doctor, if it was the truth after all."

"So you know Ji-hoo then?"

"And you do too?"

Sighing, Jan-di took a sip of her own water, throat suddenly dry. "I was engaged to him, if that's what you're getting at." She said it so calmly, how long has it been since then anyways? The answer evaded her and she shrugged it off and went back to sipping on her drink.

"It didn't work out?" He sounded skeptical and Jan-di couldn't figure out why he was playing these games instead of coming right out and asking her what he wanted to know.

"It didn't work out."

Leaning back in his chair Gu Jun-pyo ran a hand through his hair.

"Do you want to know, the story of Ji-hoo and I?" She was taunting him and she smiled as he let out a frustrated growl.

"Isn't that what we're doing here?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I thought we were having lunch." He glared at her and she laughed unable to contain herself. He was just too funny sometimes.

"I don't mind talking about it. It was a long time ago, right after I started high school actually. I volunteered at his grandfather's clinic, that's how we met. His grandfather was quite taken with the idea of us and arranged a marriage proposal with my parents. We had no objections and so we were to be engaged for some time. After I began college it became official, but in my second year I realized that we wanted very different things in life so I broke it off. I haven't seen him or the doctor since."

"That was a very short story."

Shrugging Jan-di let out a sigh. "There's not much to it honestly. He was great in almost every way desirable in a potential life partner, but he couldn't be perfect. No one can. The areas he lacked meant more to me than the areas he flourished in, it's not that complicated really."

"Ji-hoo is the most understanding and accomplished person I know. What could he have been lacking?"

"He didn't believe in me." Taken back by her statement Jun-pyo gaped at her, stunned.

"H-he what?"

"I said, he didn't believe in me." She reiterated rolling her eyes as Gu Jun-pyo seemed to fail to understand her once again. "When I went to open my bake shop I applied for everything myself. The loan I chose to take out had to be paid off in three years. It was an unusual situation, and the bank worked with me a lot, that was their only stipulation. I know on average it takes about six years, but I was confident that I was capable of doing it in three. Ji-hoo did not agree with me, it was the first time we argued. Upon opening day he went in and paid my loan in full. He doubted my ability; he didn't trust that I could do it. I don't want to be tied to someone who doesn't support me in that way. It was his biggest fault and I tolerated everything he did to make my life easier up until that point. I just wanted him to give me the opportunity to try but he always walked in and tossed his money around claiming that it was so I didn't have to work so hard, but I never asked for anything other than the chance to work for what I have. He couldn't understand that."

Gu Jun-pyo sat silent, his mind absorbing all this new information. Jan-di could tell he was thinking, he had a distant look in his eyes, his focus somewhere else.

"How do you know Ji-hoo?" Her question seemed to snap him back into reality and he looked at her as if she had spoken a foreign language.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"How do you know Ji-hoo?" His face twisted and she found herself regretting that she had asked, but he didn't disappoint and answered after a few seconds.

"We grew up together?"

_That bad?_ She thought as she took in his pained expression.

"Did your parents work for his family or something?" It was a fair question on her part and Gu Jun-pyo's tormented expression changed to one of amusement as he smirked at her, a knowing glint in his eyes.

"I was actually born as the heir to the Shinwa Group." Coughing as she choked on her water Jan-di smacked her chest a couple times trying to calm herself. Her reaction didn't disappoint as Gu Jun-pyo's smirk only grew.

"But, you, what? How?" All other words were caught in her throat as she suddenly became aware of the power the man before her held, his family is even more influential than Ji-hoo's.

"My mother set me up in an arranged marriage for a business deal, but I didn't want to be with someone who was only after my status. I walked away from my family and the title of heir and for the first time in my life I got to decide what I wanted. Yi-Jung supported me, more than he probably should have. In an outrage my mother bankrupted him and we ended up on the streets together. Long story short we both went into the academy and worked our way up to detectives." He said, understanding what she was asking.

"So you and So Yi-Jung both grew up with Ji-hoo?" Gu Jun-pyo nodded, "We did, along with Song Woo-bin but you wouldn't know him." Grimacing from the name Jan-di puckered her lips as if she ate something sour, "I know Woo-bin alright."

"I take it the meeting didn't go well?"

Scoffing at his assumption Jan-di nodded, "He groped me."

It was Gu Jun-pyo's turn to choke on his water and he definitely did. He knew Woo-bin to be a bit of a lady's man but he never assumed he would go that far.

"Given, he was drunk. But still, I didn't take it well. He of course didn't take well to the black eye I gave him. Ji-hoo could hardly put us in the same room after that." Making a mental note of that information Gu Jun-pyo decided to bring that up the next time him and Yi-Jung went out for drinks with Ji-hoo.

"Though, I am surprised. Neither of them mentioned you or your partner."

"That's fair, we're not as close as we were before. I mainly distanced myself because I didn't want my witch of a mother to attack their businesses. Of course now, I'm just busy."

Jan-di gave him an empathetic look, she understood what he meant by being too busy for people. She has neglected her family since starting up her own bakery, only seeing more of her brother since she gave him a job. It's hard to balance life and family and from the look in Gu Jun-pyo's eyes as he talked about the friends he grew up with they were more family to him than his own blood. She wanted to say something but was at a loss for words, thankfully the waitress came with their food and they each had something else to focus on.

"So did you," Gu Jun-pyo asked as he grabbed hold of his utensils.

Tilting her head to the side Jan-di gave him a questioning look, not sure what he meant.

"Did you earn enough to pay off your loan in three years?"

The biggest smile broke out across her face as she replied, "It only took me one."

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A little bit of a shorter chapter and still a little boring but some important background information before I move on.

Thank you again for sticking with me, till next time!


	11. Reckless Girl

Grunting Jan-di took in a shallow breath as she ran down the dimly lit street, the cold air setting fire to her lungs, and the clapping of her feet hitting the pavement drowning out all other noise. It was early in the morning, and she was on her way into work when someone had casually bumped into her appearing form a dark alleyway. They had grabbed her wallet and she was currently chasing after the culprit, without falter. He was fast and she was struggling to keep up with him but she would be damned if she let him escape. Petty thieves got no sympathy from her. She would retrieve her things.

"STOP" she shouted, but her voice hardly carried far enough to reach the man's ears as she sprinted after him. Her mouth was dry and she was lacking oxygen. Taking another breath she forced her body to move faster, almost catching up to him she reached her hand out determined to grab hold of whatever she could to stop him. It was for nothing though, before she could even process what was happening her thief was tackled to the ground by a shadowy figure. "So Yi-jung?" she breathed stopping in her tracks, palms resting on her knees as she bent over gasping. If he was here than that meant that Gu Jun-pyo probably was as well.

Not one to disappoint Jan-di was suddenly twirled around by the wrist to come face to face with none other than a furious Gu Jun-pyo. He starred at her with a fiery glint in his eyes, even in the dark she could the sparks of anger flicker across his expression from the slight twitch of his lips. She had never witnessed him like this before and she stepped back instinctively as she shook from the mere sight of him.

"You," he breathed, voice cold, demanding. "What do you think you're doing." It came out as a raspy growl and t wasn't till that moment that she realized he too was shaking, but no from fear. No, he was livid.

"He stole my wallet." She managed to bite out, timidly. She sounded so weak against him and she hated it. It wasn't like her.

"So you chase after him?" He spat, disapproval coating each word.

"What else was I going to do, allow myself to get robbed? As if." Her temper was flaring up, his presence was calling out to her fight or flight response and she was going into full fight mode. He had no right to look down on her for this.

"That's what a smart person would do, given the fact that there's a murdered roaming around. Or have you forgotten that already?" He was still holding her wrist in a vice grip and she winced as he tightened his hold. Noticing her pained expression he released her, eyes darting over to his partner who had successfully cuffed the thief and fished her wallet out of his possession.

"I haven't forgotten," she mumbled, defeated. He had a point and she again, had reacted recklessly. Chu Ga-eul would be just as aggravated with her actions and she knew that though she wasn't wrong she shouldn't be upset either. Still, he could execute his worry a bit better but that thought didn't hold up much as an argument. He was worried and probably a tad bit stressed due to their lack of progress in catching said killer. She was going to give him a pass this one time, maybe she could talk to him later about his delivery, right now it was early and he was also probably tired. Normally she wouldn't make excuses for anyone but she knew the burden Gu Jun-pyo carried and how demanding work has been on his since the second attack. "He's not tall enough to be the murderer. So I didn't think anything of it when I chased after him."

Snorting in response for her lame attempt to explain her actions to him Gu Jun-pyo brushed past her, his rage now directed towards the man So Yi-jung was holding in place.

"Get her to the bakery, I'll take this one in." Gu Jun-pyo barked grabbing hold of the man roughly and briskly leading him towards their cruiser. So Yi-jung starred after him for a moment before turning his attention on her. She was still shaking, partly from over exerting herself. Her injuries still weren't fully healed and it's been a good while since she's had to run like that. Her body wasn't used to being so active in such a burst and her legs felt like jello now that her muscles were cooling down.

"We're close enough I'll walk you if that's okay." Nodding silently Jan-di put one wobbly leg in- front of the other as she matched So Yi-jung's slow pace. Whether it was for her sake or just his normal pace she wasn't sure but she was thankful. She didn't think her body was capable of moving much faster than this at the moment. "You know he's just worried right?"

Looking over at the man who walked beside her Jan-di could see that he was genuinely concerned, but not for her specifically. More so, it seemed that he was concerned about how she took his partners previous outburst. Gu Jun-pyo was like a flash of lightening striking the ground when he first approached her, and she was anything but immune to his force. "I know, I'm not upset about him being worried. But I don't think that makes the way he expressed it right." She could feel So Yi-jung's eyes linger on her and she wondered if she had said something wrong.

"You're right. Though, I don't think he intended to come across the way he did at all. I think he was frustrated because he doesn't understand what he was feeling. He's one of those people that need extra patience and guidance when it comes to expressing his emotions, besides It's not common for Jun-pyo to feel so attached to someone, no offense."

Not knowing what to say Jan-di just nodded while fishing the keys to her store out of her back pocket and unlocking the door. So Yi-jung stood in the doorway for a moment fidgeting as if unsure if he should leave or hang around for a bit. As he wrestled with himself Jan-di found that his uncertainty was making her uncomfortable and so she offered him to come in and let her make him a cup of coffee. His face lit up instantly and she chuckled as he followed her eagerly inside.

"I'll make a cup for you to take to Gu Jun-pyo too. As a peace offering." So Yi-jung hummed in reply, taking a seat at the counter. She at last always had one way to get on their good side, they do say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. She never believed such silly things but as she watched So Yi-jung sit there bouncing with excitement at the mere mention of coffee she couldn't help but believe it a little bit. As a show of forgiveness she even threw in a couple pastries left over from yesterday, which So Yi-jung happily accepted without any conflict.

"You know, sometimes I'm not sure if Jun-pyo likes you or your coffee more, but I think it's safe to say he's a fan of both." Of course the comment was meant to be a joke, yet there was some underlying truth in his words and both froze for a moment. So Yi-jung out of horror for admitting his partners feelings even if his partner wasn't aware of his feelings fully, and Jan-di in an attempt to control the ever-persistent blush that threatened to color her cheeks.

"I'm sure his attachment is solely due to the free coffee." She quickly mumbled composing herself as she finished packing up the baked goods. Maybe they would pass them around the office and it would bring in some additional business. Not that she needed it but word of mouth was her only form of advertisement, and she never charged them. She should at last be able to make some sort of a profit off the pair, in not directly then indirectly. So Yi-jung let out a nervous laugh before thanking her and making his way out the door, arms full of all kinds of treats.

"Oh, and please lock the door after me. I don't even think your coffee could save me from a beating if Jun-pyo feels that I didn't make sure you were safe before taking my leave." Rolling her eyes Jan-di ushered him out and made sure to lock the door behind him, just grinned through the glass and managed to give her a thumbs up without dropping anything before disappearing down the street. She really didn't know what she was going to do with those two, not that she really could do anything.

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Jun-pyo leaned back in his chair, sighing heavily. Questioning the thief proved to be a waste of time. The guy had no connection to the murder or assault and after a couple hours he had booked him for his petty crime. Yi-jung appeared not long after, bearing gifts from Jan-di. Her coffee always managed to put him in a decent mood at the least, but he never had allowed himself to try one of her baked goods before. At first he had refused to be swayed by such an offer but as the rest of the office consumed and gushed over how great they were he found himself curious. Reluctantly he eventually made his way over to Yi-jung's desk, picking up a random pastry and retreating to his own desk which was decorated with stacks of papers.

This case was driving him nuts, even with two witnesses they had pretty much no headway. This guy was good, the best he had the pleasure to hunt and their game was dragging on. That's all this seemed to be game between predators, the world was full of them, and this one had decided to hunt in his territory. As the hours passed he nibbled at the pastry, it was good. Better than anything he's had before and yet again he found another thing he craved that only she could provide. He knew his reaction this morning was short of noble. He shouldn't have snapped at her but for some reason seeing her chasing after someone sent him into a panic. If Yi-jung hadn't gotten to them first he really had no clue if he would have been able to keep the control he had over himself as he scolded her, and yet he knew it would happen again.

He couldn't stop her. She was too independent and reckless. Though she may take more caution in the future, at some point she would act as brashly as she had this morning and one day she would most likely find herself in a situation she wasn't going to walk away from. The thought churned his stomach and he let out a groan and he threw himself over his desk, resting his head in his palms.

Glancing at the clock he quickly stood from his desk, grabbing his jacket as he stalked out without a word. Yi-jung shot him a questioning glance but didn't say anything. He was sure his friend knew where he was going anyways, and as he got into his car he wondered if it was late enough in the afternoon for a certain bakery girl to be getting off work. His commute to her shop went by smoothly, with little traffic and no red lights he was surprised himself by the time he made driving across town. He had messaged her, asking her to wait for him outside. She read the message but never replied. Still he wasn't surprised to see her standing out on the sidewalk, bag slung over her shoulder, and arms crossed. Without a word she got into the car, buckling herself she asked for no explanation and he offered none.

They drove in silence until he reached their destination. She shot him a hesitant glance but remained silent as they excited the vehicle and entered the gym. It was empty, per usual and he smiled to himself as memories of his rookie days flooded his mind. This was the gym him and Yi-jung trained at after graduating from the academy. These walls had witnessed his blood, sweat, and at times tears. It was never a popular gym, but the owner had given him and Yi-jung full access to it anytime day or night and It's been years since he took advantage of the offer.

"So, what exactly are we doing here?" She was walking around, observing the equipment and the ring that was set up.

"I'm going to train you." Her head whipped around and he could hear the crack of her neck from the force, a think brown cocked in amusement.

"Train me?" she slurred, eyes flashing back towards the ring.

"Yes. I know you're well versed in some forms of martial arts but your skills could use some additional practice." He was trying not to insult her. He knew she was quite capable and setting off her temper wouldn't aid his objective at all. She refrained from erupting on him this morning, though she definitely was getting worked up, she remained inactive in the end.

"Why?" It was a simple question and the tension that filled the atmosphere around them was thick, he almost buckled under its weight as he starred into her warm golden eyes.

"Because I can't protect you. Not all the time." His words shattered the tension and he found himself relaxing and he stepped towards her, taking her small hand in his. "I'm sorry for how I acted earlier. I know it's something I'll have to adjust to, but I'll sleep better at night knowing you can defend yourself better." Honesty always seemed to be the best option when it came to Geum Jan-di. She was like a human lie detector and as she searched his eyes she smiled before closing the gap between them, wrapping her free arm around his torso and nuzzling her face into his shirt

"I'm sorry too," she whispered into his shirt, he could hardly hear her but his skin tingled from the vibration of her words against his chest. Letting out a deep breath he released her hand and crushed her to him. They remained like that for some time and he closed his eyes as he rested his chin on her head, taking in the scent of her shampoo. She always smelled of roses and vanilla and he found himself getting lost in her scent. He would have even drifted off to sleep if he had not begun wiggling in his arms, edging herself away from him just enough to look up at his face. "So, when do we get started?"

Smirking down at her Jun-pyo rested his forehead against hers, "right now." With one motion he swung his leg under her sending her flying back towards the ground.

She glared up at him, propped up on her elbows "I'm going to make you pay for that."

He just grinned before taking off in a sprint, this was going to be fun.

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I am so sorry for the majorly delayed update. I have been SWAMPED with work. Like, what's a personal life? I honestly have no clue but I finally have a weekend off and wanted to take advantage of the time and update. I apologize again and am going to try and update more often. At least I will if my coworkers ever stop going on vacation, which isn't happening anytime soon.

Still I'm excited to get into things with this story. Till next time!


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